Outback schooling with a Russian twist

Collectively they have trekked more than 10,000 kilometres from Outback stations like Avenel and K-Tank and Yalcowinna, some from across the border in South Australia and others who have spent five hours or more navigating dusty and suspect roads.

They are the 80-plus families enrolled at Broken Hill's School of the Air who this week have come together for the annual Home Tutors Conference and everyone has an interesting story to tell.

Home for Tatiana Roberts (42) is Pulgamurtie Station - via Saint Petersburg, Russia.

If relocating from the icy climes of northern Europe to the harsh Outback isn't enough, Tatiana is dealing with the added degree of difficulty of home schooling her seven-year-old daughter, Grace.

"Everything is completely upside down," Tatiana laughs, explaining she spoke very little English before meeting and marrying grazier Grant Roberts eight years ago.

"For the first six months I couldn't speak to anyone ... now I have Aussie English, Aussie Outback English I would say.

"The main challenge (with home schooling) when you are a parent (is) you expect more out of your child and you know exactly what the child is capable of and if the child doesn't perform in this area where you know she's good, well, that makes you angry.

"Because you are the parent you care and you put more pressure on, where perhaps a stranger - like a teacher - doesn't have this personal attachment and they can do it in an easier way," Tatiana continued.

"When you are a parent it is hard, it's really, really hard."

Crash course

The annual Home Tutors Conference (HTC) is considered by many as the most important gathering on the School of the Air calendar.

"We all get together to give all the parents and new governesses, new supervisors all the information on how to run their school in the best possible way," acting Principal Steve Eason told ABC Rural Reporter Cherie McDonald.

"We do supply most of the information and all of the school work, but then it is the parents ... they're the ones who actually deliver the work, so we try and up skill them, almost like a four-year uni degree in a crash course in just a week," Mr Eason added.

Chrissie Harvey from Caradoc Station near White Cliffs, 290km north-east of Broken Hill, believes the value of the annual conference cannot be underestimated.

"It's important to build community spirit and for everybody to confront their issues ... and to learn about how the system works, especially for a new mum," Mrs Harvey said.

"Out there on the stations we are quite isolated and often the only people we communicate with every day are with business people over the phone and our children and our husbands when they rush in and out at daylight and dark.

"To come to town and have a chat with other mums and get that feeling that everybody's in the same boat is really great," Mrs Harvey continued.

Sharing the load

Vicki Dowling, from Fowlers Gap Research Station, 110km north of Broken Hill on the Silver City Highway, agrees.

"You realise that you are not the only mum who might get called out to help out in the paddock, or the only one who gets interrupted by phone calls and you're not the only one who has a child who flatly refuses to do anything ... it makes it more comforting to know," Mrs Dowling smiled.

Nicci Noakes travelled 300km from Lilydale Station in South Australia to attend her 12th HTC.

"It's really good for motivating myself for the year, getting back into the swing of school and meeting all the new mums," she said.

Music teacher Keturah Dennison has re-located from Adelaide to Karoola Station and is energised by the challenge of expanding horizons for Outback kids.

"I would say that Mozart is incredibly beneficial to calm a child's mind, there are so many Sonatas that I would probably play them," Ms Dennison enthused.

"I think it (music) helps to stabilise the child's mind, just that constant rhythm is there in the piece."